Global Scans · France · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Discontent with political elites and country performance is driving the discourse and demand for action from the French public. With Presidential elections due in May 2017 it remains to be seen whether another political earthquake may happen in one of the EU's founding countries.

• [New] European leaders are debating bolstering nuclear arsenals due to Russian threats and US security commitment doubts, with Germany and France discussing deterrence. ST
• [New] European nations, including the U.K. and France, have already said they will commit troops to Ukraine to guarantee its future security. PBS News
• [New] The French government's France 2030 investment plan has allocated substantial funding to advanced air mobility, including sovereign battery and propulsion development. Market Data Forecast
• [New] In 2026, Thales plans to recruit nearly 3,300 people in France, 800 in the UK, 630 in North America, 530 in Australia, 520 in the Netherlands, 450 in India, 300 in Germany, 240 in Romania, 200 in Singapore, 150 in Mexico and 140 in Poland. Human Resources Online
• [New] The relatively small nuclear arsenals of France and the United Kingdom might not be enough to face down Russia without US support. News24
• [New] Within France, the largest recruitment will be in Ile-de-France (1,630), followed by Brittany, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur and other regions. Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH
• [New] Mass deployment creates lucrative electronic intelligence collection opportunities to map French tactical communications architecture. Drone Warfare
• [New] Second-generation variants will likely incorporate AI-assisted target recognition and mesh networking for multi-drone coordination, particularly if ORION 2026 exercises validate swarm reconnaissance concepts. / France Drone Warfare
• [New] Predictive Analysis: Expect France to expand procurement beyond the initial 1,000 units and integrate datalink encryption upgrades as operational experience reveals electronic warfare vulnerabilities. Drone Warfare
• [New] French President Emmanuel Macron warned threats and intimidation by the United States are not over despite an apparent lull in tensions, urging the EU to treat recent turbulence in the transatlantic relationship as a wake-up call to push through reforms. Al Jazeera
• [New] Thales will pay special attention to welcoming apprentices and interns, particularly in France, where in 2026 it will support 1,700 interns and 1,600 apprentices from Bac + 2 to Bac + 5 levels, as well as 1,000 third-year and 500 second-year high school interns. MarketScreener
• [New] Thales will hire 9,000 new employees globally, including 3,300 in France and 450 in India in 2026, as the aerospace, defence and digital solutions provider looks to bolster its capabilities in new age technologies, including artificial intelligence. ETTelecom
• [New] French automaker Renault, together with defence firm Turgis Gaillard, will produce long-range drones for Ukraine's military. Euromaidan Press
• [New] Partnerships between US and European companies - Google with Thales in France, Google with T-Systems in Germany, and Microsoft with Orange and Capgemini in France - are an opportunity to build skills in Europe to promote further investment and capacity. The Register
• [New] France's push for digital sovereignty: By banning Zoom and Teams from government use, France emphasizes the risks of relying on foreign-developed platforms, introducing Visio as its domestic alternative. Mean CEO's BLOG
• [New] France aims to become climate neutral by 2050, yet emission reductions lag behind targets. Clean Energy Wire
• [New] The automotive production model will likely be replicated by other European manufacturers seeking defence diversification, potentially leading to NATO-wide standardization efforts for interoperable loitering munition systems by 2028. / France Drone Warfare
• [New] France, after all, still faces political gridlock and uncertainty heading into the presidential election of early 2027. investing.com
• [New] The French state budget for 2026 officially passed through parliament on Monday, ending a months-long deadlock that had increased fears of a debt crisis in the European Union's second-largest economy. Politico
• [New] In France, privately-owned high-speed rail operator Velvet is set to shake up competition when it commences services in 2028. Business Travel News Europe
• [New] Macron's address represented a strategic adjustment reflecting France's and Europe's conclusion that the previous paradigm of relying on American policy predictability could no longer guide European strategic planning. Foreign Affairs Forum
• [New] Arianespace Ariane 64: Amazon Leo from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana Amazon Leo is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, managed by Kuiper Systems LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon. KeepTrack

Last updated: 18 February 2026